Following his 2024 graduation from Sherando High School, Ryan Resulaj somewhat unenthusiastically enrolled at Laurel Ridge. But, after coming to class, he soon changed his mind.
“I thought, if I don’t go to a four-year, then I’m not good enough,” Resulaj recalled thinking.
He has since been inspired by his professors and is active in campus life.
“All of my professors have good qualities,” Resulaj said. “I think the ones that changed my life the most are (Psychology Professor) Addie Jones and (Sociology and Human Services Professor) Larry Friedenberg. But, they’re all great in different ways. Professor Friedenberg was the first teaching experience I ever had that was open-ended. He would listen to what the students thought without judgment.”
Resulaj, who first wants to become a social worker with aspirations of eventually becoming a psychiatrist, has noticed a change in what motivates him. In high school, his only goal was to get good grades.
“Now, I actually want to learn the material,” he said. “I just want to learn and don’t care about the number on the screen.”
Resulaj is also involved in Phi Theta Kappa, the Student Ambassadors program and providing tutoring sessions for students in Psychology, Sociology and Human Services courses. He likes that Laurel Ridge helps students as much as possible, and offers services, such as TimelyCare, an app that offers free telehealth mental health services and wellness classes. He said he has used the services himself.
“I was studying on the weekend before finals week and I used it,” Resulaj said. “It definitely is helpful. I’m glad that it’s available.”
He participates in extra training offered, like ASIST, SafeTalk and SafeSpace, and in campus activities and events. Regular campus visits by therapy dogs are a hit with him.
“They’re pretty awesome,” said Resulaj. “And, the job fairs are good, too.”
Professor Friedenberg and Professor Jones recommended Resulaj for the Virginia Foundation For Community College Education’s Laurens Sartoris Fellowship, which he said is worth $7,000. In addition to scholarship funding, the fellowship includes conferences and presentations focused on leadership in the public sector and private sector. Resulaj said he’ll meet the governor early next year and is committed to doing community service through the program.
“Professor Jones wrote me an amazing letter of recommendation,” Resulaj said.
In her letter, Professor Jones says that not only is Resulaj committed to his studies, “his long-term commitment” to helping others makes him stand out.
“He is inquisitive, empathetic and demonstrates compassion towards others’ struggles,” the letter states. “He understands clearly how his educational goals are a stepping-stone to his ultimate desire to work clinically with others in meaningful ways.”
It also notes that Resulaj was training to become a certified career recovery specialist.
“I have no doubt that Ryan is already having a large impact on our local community in this capacity,” the letter states.
Resulaj has been working with three individuals as a peer recovery specialist. In that role, he can put into practice what he is learning in the classroom.
“It’s cool to be able to learn stuff and actually use it right away,” said Resulaj, who plans to transfer to Old Dominion University to study social work following his graduation next May, and get his master’s degree from George Mason University.
In addition to the fellowship, Resulaj has also benefitted from the Mary M. Henkel Endowed Scholarship, the Jeffery L. Ross Memorial Endowed Scholarship and Student Success Funds. These have allowed him to keep volunteering as a student and not have to get another job. He said this has allowed him to pay it forward.
“The butterfly effect is awesome – I get to help students and help my peers more and be more involved with them,” Resulaj said.
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.